Time actuated mechanism



`Yan. 12, 1937.

A. lR. BRASSELL TIME ACTUATED MECHANISM Filed May 16, 1933 -2 Sheets-Sheet 2 L f IL --g All/y Hrasel mit Patented `Fan., l2, :i937

TINE ACTUATED MECHANISM Alvy R. Brassell,

Hazlelmrst, Miss.

Application May 16, 1933, Serial No. 671,395

4 Claims.

My invention relates to certain new and useful mechanism for ringing bells, such as school or church bells, for example.

The invention particularly has for an object to provide a mechanism for the purposes stated that can be constructed and operated at low cost, and is especially adapted for use on farms and in small communities (although, of course, it may be used wherever desired).

The invention also comprehends a new and improved timer for actuating the various devices employed, the timer itself having adjustable means to time its operation.

Other objects will in part be obvious and in part be pointed out hereinafter.

To the attainment of the aforesaid objects and ends, the invention still further resides in the novel details of construction, combination and arrangement of parts, all of which will be rst fully described in the following detailed description, then be particularly pointed out in the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure l is a front view of my invention adapted as a bell ringer.

Figure 2 is a detail elevation of a portion thereof.

Figure 3 is an enlarged detail vertical cross section on approximately the line 3 3 of Figure l.

Figure 4 is a detail vertical section on the line 4 4 of Figure 5.

Figure 5 is a section on the line 5 5 of Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a detail of the timer-holding bar and trigger.

Figure 7 is an enlarged vertical section of one of the timers, part of the cylinder being broken away.

In the drawings, in which like numerals and letters of reference indicate like parts in all of the figures it will be seen that upon a suitable frame 8l, which carries vertically spaced supports 3, is mounted, in bearings St, a shaft 89. This shaft at suitable intervals carries ratchets 9| whose collars are secured to the shaft in any suitable way, as by set screws tix, so that all ratchets turn in unison with one another and with the shaft.

A two-part sheave 92 is mounted on each ratchets collar to turn thereon. Each sheave 92 has a tape-receiving groove S3 Whose bottom has a flattened part @il midway the ends of which is located a tape-anchoring pin 95 over which an end of the tape Qt is looped and secured. The sheave S2 has a series of pin-holes 91 to receive a cross pin 98 that acts to stop the unwinding of the tape after a predetermined amount has been unwound, depending on the number of revolutions the particular unit must make.

The sheave 92 has a peripheral notch 99 to receive the ringer H3 of the sheave-holding arm III) which is pivoted at IIDQ: to the Weight lever latch bar Il and passes through a suitable guide III. The member I|| is provided with bearing surfaces on which the arm II rocks, as indicated in Figure 3.

The sheave 92 has a pawl pivot |98 on which a pawl II is mounted and pressed into contact with the ratchet 9| by means of a suitable spring IGZ. A tape stop |63 is secured on the support 88 to cooperate with the pin 9S in holding the sheave from turning after the required length of tape has been unwound.

A weight guide cylinder |04 is securely mounted on the support 88 and guides a weight or motor |85 which has a collar |66 to cooperate with the weight lever latch bar |01. The weight lever latch bar It? is pivoted at |08 to a bracket |09 and has its free end extended normally to rest in the bracket IM. A spring H2 serves to hold the weight lever latch bar |67 up and the arm IIU disengaged from the sheave when the weight lever latch ill'l has been released.

Pivoted at H5 is a latch retainer II'I, slotted at I i6 and connected by a cable I I8 with the end of the trigger I 53, and with a hook II9.

Slidably mounted on a boxing or column I2I is a collar I 2li which is held in place by a pin or set screw |22. The column I2| has holes |23 to receive a cross bolt |24 that is secured by a Cotter pin E25 to limit the fall of the Weight |05. The Weight |05 carries adjustable Weights, preferably in the form of disks or Washers |21, which are held by pin |25, and which constitute the main power weights. The weight |95 also carries auxiliary Weight disks |28 to aid in starting up the movement of the shaft 89. The auxiliary Weights operate only for a short time and are stopped when they engage the upper end of the column IZI.

On the shaft 89 is a wheel |29 which has a ratchet portion |30 with which a gravity paWl I3I cooperates. It also has a crank |31 that is connected by a rod |36 with the crank |35 of the trunnion |33 of the bell yoke. The bell yoke is mounted in a suitable frame |32 and carries the bell |34 which is secured to it at |38. The arrangement is such that as the shaft 89 is turned the bell |34 will be tolled and when the turning action on the shaft stops the parts will be left in position with the bell about vertical, the crank i3? off dead center and the shaft held against turning back by the dog itl and ratchet lii (see FigureZ).

Mounted on a bar 39 carried by the support 83, is a set of trigger released timer-holding bars, all being of substantially the same construction and one less in number than the number of timer units employed. For example, the drawing shows four timer units and three trigger devices. These devices each comprise, brackets till and M5, a timer-holding bar M2 pivoted at 94E in the bracket Ml and a trigger 43 pivoted at lli@ in the bracket M5, there being a trigger stop 845x provided as shown.

The cables l i8 of the several units are connected directly to the triggers |43. From the triggers M3 cables lill extend to and connect with the bails ili of the buckets of the respective timers lita, Mtb, ific and lfSd. The second cable from the left in Figure 1 and each succeeding cable is provided with a hook i i9 so that it may be hooked over the corresponding bar U32 to hold from action the buckets of the second and succeeding units until after the bars have been released by the movement of their respective triggers M3 as will later more clearly appear.

As each of the timers is essentially of the same construction, a detailed illustration of one of them only has been given. By reference to Figure 1 it will be observed that the cylinder contains a suitable liquid, such as Water, and on this liquid normally floats a bucket 52 having a conicai bottorn 53 to avoid pocketing air beneath the bucket and to insure the proper entry of the water through the valve 5d. The conical bottom 5LB has an opening over which is secured a suitable valve 5 to admit liquid into the bucket. The valve 51.1 has a cock 55 by which the rate of iiow of liquid into the bucket may be regulated or timed by turning the valve setting lever 55 from one position to another. The lever 56 has an indicator 5i! to overlie the dial plate 5l which is suitably graduated. The ends of the dial plate 5l are secured, at 59, rigidly to the Wall of the bucket 52 in any suitable Way.

In order that the bucket may be quickly emptied of its liquid contents when it is raised from the liquid in the cylinder-as when it is desired to reset the bucket-the bucket may be provided with an aperture E@ containing a threaded plug El on the end of a stem G52 that projects through a hole in the dial plate 5l and is provided With a handle 5t by means of which the plug may be unscrewed and replaced at Will.

The dial plate El is graduated into suitable time divisions of hours and minutes (not shown) and into quarter-hour intervals. By setting the indicator 58 to any time indication desired the bucket e2 will not draw the cable Mil taut and release the trigger until the time interval set has elapsed. When the indicator 58 is positioned as shown in Figure l it is set for a four-hour interval, the maximum for which this particular unit has been designed,

Operation` of the bell ringer Assume the parts to be set as shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3, and all the buckets of the motor units free of Water. The timer l/iSa is set to operate, say at nine oclock, timer Mtb at 11 oclock, timer MSC at one oclock and timer ild at three unit, which in turn releases the weight H15 and moves arm l li to release the sheave 92 of the iirst unit (left-hand unit) in Figure 1. This allows Weight m5 to fall and toll the bell for the time interval for which pin I2@ Was set (this may 5 be any time interval found desirable). As soon as the time interval has elapsed Weight |65 will be stopped and shaft 39 Will stop turning.

W'hen timer liia released the corresponding trigger ist it also eiected the release of bar M2 l0 of the ilrst unit which permitted hook l I9 of the second unit to slide oi, thereby setting timer MSD ready for action. As soon as the proper time interval has elapsed for timer Ilib to operate it, in turn, will move its latch retainer lll' to l5 a position to release the weight lever latch bar lill of the second unit and thereby free the Weight H35 thereof to allow the second ringing of the bell to take place. At the same time that the timer of the second unit releases the retainer I I1 of its unit, it Will also trip the trigger i133 to which its cable H8 is attached and make ready the timer of the third unit, and so on through 'the series. i i

It should be understood that there may be as many units employed as may be necessary or desirable for the purpose to be accomplished.

From the foregoing description, taken in connectionwith the accompanying drawings, it is thought that the construction, operation and advantages of my invention will be clear to those skilled in the art. I wish it to be understood that changes in the details of construction may be made Without departing from the spirit of the invention or the lscope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

l. A mechanism of the character described comprising a support, a shaft rotatably mounted thereon, a bell, means to ring said bell through rotation of said shaft and a plurality of mechanical motors operatively connected With said shaft to turn the same to cause the ringing of the bell, and means to time the operations of said motors to act at successive intervals.

2. A mechanism of the character described comprising a support, a shaft rotatably mounted thereon, a bell, means to ring said bell through rotation of said shaft, a plurality of motors, means for connecting the same with said shaft to turn the same to cause the ringing of the bell, and means including timers to time the operations of said motors to act at successive intervals, said connecting means comprising individual shaft-rotating elements, one set for each motor, said timing means including means to hold said motors except the first inoperative, and means operated by the timers in succession for releasing the holding means of the next succeeding motor after the preceding motor has ceased to function.

3. A mechanism of the character described 60 comprising a support, a shaft rotatably mounted thereon, a mechanism to be operated by rotation of said shaft, a ratchet Xed to said shaft, a sheave loose on the shaft and having a pavvl in cooperation with said ratchet for rotating the 65 shaft in one direction, a back check means for said shaft, a tape Wound on said sheave, a Weight device connected to said tape for unwinding it and thereby rotating said shaft, a weight lever latch bar for holding said Weight static, an arm engaging said sheave to hold it against turning While the Weight is held static, a timed device for releasing said Weight lever latch bar, and means to free said arm from said sheave when the latch bar is released.

4. A mechanism of the character described comprising a support, a shaft rotatably mounted thereon, a mechanism to be operated by rotation of said shaft, a ratchet fixed to said shaft, a sheave loose on the shaft and having a paWl in cooperation with said ratchet for rotating the shaft in one direction, a back check means for said shaft, a tape Wound on said sheave, a Weight device connected to said tape for unwinding it and thereby rotating said shaft, a Weight lever latch bar for holding said Weight static, an arm engaging said sheave to hold it against turning While the weight is held static, a timed device for releasing said Weight lever latch bar, and means to free said arm :from said sheave when the latch bar is released, said Weight device comprising a weight bar carrying separate weights of two groups, a Well in which said bar and weights move down, and means to arrest the Weights of one group and functionally free the same from the Weight bai' after the Weights and bar have travelled a predetermined distance.

ALVY R. BRASSELL. 

